Those in New Zealand and elsewhere wondering what exactly coach Ian Foster meant when he referred to the All Blacks’ "improvements" in their biggest defeat to the Springboks in 94 years may be interested to learn he was referring to their tackling, maul defence and scrum.
The initial statement, notable for its optimism, was made to the media at Mbombela Stadium after the 26-10 loss in which the All Blacks didn’t look like scoring a try until the 79th minute when they capitalised on the absence of the red-carded Kurt-Lee Arendse to cross the line via Shannon Frizell.
Loose forward Frizell almost immediately undid his good work by dropping a Sam Cane pass cold to gift veteran fullback Willie le Roux a converted try in response, an alarming but not uncommon error from an All Black on Sunday morning (NZT).
Foster’s post-match message was delivered in a curiously upbeat manner despite the events of the Test, and indeed he appeared to have the air of a man who has accepted that his time is up and is preparing for what comes next.
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He can plan with certainty the All Blacks’ response at Johannesburg’s Ellis Park next Sunday morning (NZT) but anything beyond that is presumably in the hands of New Zealand Rugby after the team’s third consecutive defeat and fifth loss in six tests.
Another defeat – likely given his team’s lack of answers against a predictably robust but limited South Africa team – and Foster continuing in his job will be a cruel pantomime. In truth, it has already become untenable.
Foster could hint at Covid and tiredness for last November’s defeats in Dublin and Paris but has no such crutch now and after the historic series defeat to Ireland and the dismissals of assistants John Plumtree and Brad Mooar, he appears to be a coach out of time, if not out of touch.
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A day after the Springboks defeat, Foster was asked exactly what he meant when he referred to his team’s performance as its most improved of the year, and he pointed to their defence, mauling and scrummaging.
It’s true the All Blacks did not concede a try or a penalty from a lineout drive, or allow the Boks to cross their line after manufacturing anything significant themselves as the Irish did time and again in New Zealand (the Boks scored via a high kick and Frizell’s glaring mistake), but they did concede four scrum penalties, and most notably of all, failed to construct anything remotely dangerous on attack until the final minute.
Their phase play was disorganised and occasionally shambolic and it contrasted hugely with the clarity of thought and action with which the Boks played. Like Ireland before them, the Boks appear to be a team who know what they want to achieve and how to achieve it. The All Blacks quite simply do not.
That lack of clarity leads to unforced errors, poor option taking and a sense of general malaise.
Beauden Barrett’s quick thinking and feet on his own line in the first half had something brewing, and it was continued by brother Jordie, only for Akira Ioane to attempt a long and difficult pass to his right when Caleb Clarke was looming in support on his left.
Replacement hooker Dane Coles had an afternoon to forget when he lost the ball in a rare promising position late in the second half and twice failed to find his lineout mark.
What makes it all worse for Foster is that All Blacks’ failure in Nelspruit wasn’t surprising and that, if anything, his team’s victory at Eden Park against Ireland last month has become the outlier, the aberration.
Foster, a long-time assistant to Steve Hansen, may have had the misfortunate to inherit a team on the slide after the 2019 World Cup but he has done little to develop his players or the collective.
Last year in the Rugby Championship they were notable for their inconsistency before Ireland and France exposed some serious cracks in the facade and those have become wider this year.
He has to go and preferably sooner rather than later because despite what he says, a year out from the World Cup the All Blacks won’t improve significantly with him at the helm.
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